The fourth phase of upazila parishad elections yesterday saw sporadic violence and irregularities in a number of places.

Around 90 percent buses of Suprobhat Paribahan had been operating without having necessary clearances that include route permits, fitness certificates and professional licences of the drivers, found a probe committee.

Three alleged drug peddlers, including a Rohingya woman, were killed in “gunfights” with police and Border Guard Bangladesh in Teknaf upazila early yesterday.

Once he learnt that a fire had broken out in the building and it was spreading fast, Shariful Islam on the ninth floor of FR Tower told his colleagues to run to safety. But they could not as black smoke already had engulfed the staircases.

The 23-storey FR Tower is not safe for use now as it was damaged in Thursday's fire that claimed 26 lives, experts said.

Nine out of 10 buildings in key areas of Dhaka city have been constructed flouting their approved designs, according to the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).

Ten of the 26 people killed in Thursday's devastating fire in Banani used to work at Heritage Air Express on the 10th floor of the 22-storey FR Tower.

The Rajuk came to know about 12 years ago that the Faruque-Rupayan Tower was built in violation of the approved plan, but it remained silent for all these years.

Another devastating fire at the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) kitchen market early yesterday thrashed the efforts of 248 shop owners who were already struggling to revive their businesses from a similar disaster just two years ago.

Amid outcries over the death of 26 people in Thursday's Banani inferno, a massive fire swept through the Gulshan-1 DNCC kitchen market burning down over 200 shops yesterday.

SMHI Faruque, the land owner of FR Tower, and Tasvir Ul Islam, one of the owners of the high rise, have been arrested in the capital, police said.

Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim yesterday said all buildings constructed violating rules would be identified within 15 days.

Rumki Akhter and Maksudur Rahman had fallen in love while working at a travel agency. Eventually, they got married three years ago and dreamt of owning a flat. With their savings, they bought a flat in the city's Gendaria, which was almost ready. They were scheduled to shift there within next two months.

The European Union wants Bangladesh to replicate the safety standards in garment factories at all buildings to ensure workplace safety.

We lost 25 office-goers last Thursday for no fault of theirs. Scores remain injured, some in serious condition.

Most high-rise buildings in Dhaka lack fire safety measures, which can cause high causalities in case of a fire, experts said.

"There's a fire in our building. The flames are spreading fast. I do not know whether I will be able to get out. Tell everyone to pray for me...forgive me."

At least 25 people were killed and some 70 injured in Thursday's deadly fire that ripped through the 22-storey FR Tower in Dhaka's Banani area. All the bodies were handed over to the families and most of them buried yesterday.

The emergency exit doors on several floors of FR Tower were locked, making the escape difficult for many after the fire broke out at the high rise on Thursday, said fire officials.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday stressed the need for strictly following the building code during the construction of high-rise buildings.